News > Critical Components

Tosoh SMD has supplied the China market for over 20-years, but the firm
has only now established a thin film sputtering target manufacturing
subsidiary in Shanghai, China. Citing the need to better serve its
semiconductor, flat-panel display, solar, and large area coating
customers in China, Tosoh expects the facility will enable its to grow
its business in the region.
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3M has completed a major expansion of production capacity at its CMP pad
conditioner plant in Woodlands, Singapore, which began earlier this
year. To meet demand, 3M has also opened of a new pad conditioner
manufacturing plant in YangMei, Taiwan, making the company the only pad
conditioner manufacturer with operations in three global locations,
which also include the US.
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To support business growth and customers in Korea and key parts of Asia,
vacuum pump specialist, Edwards has opened a new state-of-the-art
manufacturing facility in Korea. Edwards said it had invested
approximately US$100 million in the facility, which will also be a key
technical centre, allowing more local technical applications support as
well as development of product derivatives and the rapid introduction of
new products. This is Edwards, seventh manufacturing facility, its
first in Korea.
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Preliminary financial results for Pfeiffer Vacuum show the company has
increased its sales revenues by 21.1% to €220.5 million, compared to the
prior year’s €182 million. A strong fourth quarter in sales led to
higher than expected overall business, the company noted.
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Sub-systems supplier, Crossing Automation has moved into the carbon
nano-tube (CNT) market with a design win for its ‘ExpressConnect’ vacuum
wafer handling system by an unidentified CNT OEM. Crossing Automation
said that its ExpressConnect system was selected because it offered a
compact, low-cost solution that met the customer's requirements for its
R&D and pilot production environment.
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Alcatel-Lucent's vacuum technology unit, ‘Adixen,' headquartered in
Annecy, France, is to be acquired by Pfeiffer Vacuum Technology.
Negotiations on the purchase of the companies, patents and licenses
belonging to the unit have been almost finalized with Pfeiffer Vacuum's
supervisory board consenting to the acquisition on November 3.
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Integrated Materials, Inc (IMI) known for its ‘SiFusion’ processes for
manufacturing polysilicon-based furnaceware has been acquired for an
undisclosed sum by Ferrotec. The SiFusion materials range is expected to
complement Ferrotec's existing line of advanced materials for
semiconductor manufacturing that include fabricated quartzware and
advanced ceramics.
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Netherlands-based manufacturer of high-quality pressure regulator products, RHPS has been acquired by Swagelok for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition expands Swagelok’s product portfolio in pressure regulators and across markets that include semiconductor and oil and gas. Read more >>

Perfluoroelastomer sealing components specialist, Applied Seals North America has signed-up Korean distributor Zeus to provide local sales and applications support. The move means Applied Seals now has distributors in Europe, Israel and South Korea.
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According to the Financial Times, and quoting CEO, Nigel Hunton, vacuum pump specialist Edwards is to shift its hi-technology manufacturing to a plant in South Korea and its chemical and pharmaceutical technologies to the Czech Republic. However, R&D will continue at its plant in Shoreham, UK. According to the report, 220 jobs will be lost in the UK due to the transfer of production.
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